160+ Free CELPIP-General Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CELPIP-General Exam

CELPIP-General is an IRCC-approved, computer-based Canadian English test by Paragon Testing (UBC); its Listening and Reading sections each have 38 four-option multiple-choice questions, scored on the CLB-aligned 1-12 level scale.

Sample CELPIP-General Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CELPIP-General exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 160+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In a service call, a customer says: "My internet has been cutting out every evening for the past week, usually around 8 p.m." What problem is the customer describing?

A.The internet is completely disconnected all day

B.The customer wants to upgrade to a faster plan

C.The internet stops working at a regular time each evening

D.The customer's bill was charged twice this month

Explanation: The phrase "cutting out every evening... around 8 p.m." describes an intermittent outage that happens at a predictable time. Identifying the specific recurring nature of the problem is a Specific Information skill tested in Listening to Problem Solving.

2A caller tells a repair shop: "I dropped my laptop yesterday and now the screen flickers, but it still turns on." Which solution would the technician most logically suggest first?

A.Replace the entire laptop because it is unusable

B.Bring it in for a screen inspection and possible replacement

C.Reinstall the operating system to fix the flickering

D.Charge the battery fully before using it again

Explanation: A flickering screen after a physical drop points to display hardware damage, so a screen inspection is the most logical first step. Connecting a stated cause (a drop) to a reasonable solution is central to Problem Solving items.

3Maria says to a clerk: "I ordered a blue jacket in size medium, but the package contained a black one in large." What does Maria want resolved?

A.She wants the store to apologize and offer a discount

B.She wants to return the jacket for a full refund only

C.She wants to exchange the jacket for different merchandise

D.She wants the wrong colour and size corrected

Explanation: Maria states the item differs from her order in both colour and size, so the implied request is to receive the correct jacket she originally ordered. Recognizing the speaker's underlying goal is a key Problem Solving skill.

4A tenant tells the building manager: "The heat in my unit hasn't worked since Monday, and it's getting really cold at night." What is the manager most likely to do?

A.Tell the tenant to buy a new thermostat

B.Arrange for a technician to inspect the heating

C.Suggest the tenant move to another apartment

D.Explain that heating is not the manager's responsibility

Explanation: A reported heating failure in a rental unit normally prompts the manager to send a technician to inspect and repair it. Matching a problem to the responsible party's logical response is tested in Problem Solving.

5At a pharmacy, a customer says: "The doctor sent my prescription here electronically, but you're telling me it hasn't arrived." What is the main issue?

A.The customer forgot to bring a paper prescription

B.The electronic prescription was not received by the pharmacy

C.The customer is at the wrong pharmacy location

D.The prescription has expired and must be renewed

Explanation: The customer expected an electronically transmitted prescription that the pharmacy says has not arrived, so the issue is a missing or undelivered transmission. Pinpointing the precise breakdown is a Specific Information skill.

6A man tells a travel agent: "My flight was cancelled and the airline rebooked me, but now I'll miss my connection in Toronto." What does the man need help with?

A.Choosing a new vacation destination

B.Finding a hotel near the airport for the night

C.Fixing a connection he will miss due to rebooking

D.Getting a refund for unused travel insurance

Explanation: The man's concern is that the airline's rebooking creates a missed connection, so he needs that connection problem resolved. Identifying the consequence the speaker wants addressed is central to Problem Solving.

7A woman says: "I'd like to return these boots, but I can't find my receipt anywhere." The clerk replies: "No problem, we can look it up using the card you paid with." What solution does the clerk offer?

A.Giving store credit instead of a cash refund

B.Locating the purchase record through her payment card

C.Asking her to come back once she finds the receipt

D.Charging a small fee for returns without receipts

Explanation: The clerk offers to retrieve the transaction using the customer's payment card, solving the missing-receipt problem. Catching the specific solution proposed is a Specific Information skill in Problem Solving.

8A customer complains: "I booked a table for six at 7 p.m., but when we arrived, you'd given it to someone else." What tone is the customer most likely expressing?

A.Amusement at a funny misunderstanding

B.Gratitude for being offered a different table

C.Frustration about a reservation that was not honoured

D.Indifference about where the group sits

Explanation: Losing a confirmed reservation upon arrival would naturally produce frustration, which the wording conveys. Inferring a speaker's attitude from the situation is an Inference skill tested in Listening.

9A resident calls the city: "There's a large pothole on Maple Street that already damaged my tire. Can someone fix it?" What action is the resident requesting?

A.A reimbursement for the damaged tire only

B.A change to the street's speed limit

C.Installation of a new traffic sign on Maple Street

D.Repair of the pothole on the road

Explanation: The resident explicitly asks for the pothole to be fixed, which is the action requested. Distinguishing the actual request from related details is a Specific Information skill.

10An employee tells IT: "Every time I try to log in, it says my password is incorrect, even though I just reset it this morning." What is the most likely cause the IT agent should investigate?

A.The employee never created an account

B.The employee's computer is unplugged

C.The new password did not update in the system

D.The office Wi-Fi network is down for everyone

Explanation: A freshly reset password that is still rejected suggests the change did not propagate or save correctly, so that is the logical first thing to check. Inferring a probable cause from symptoms is an Inference skill.

About the CELPIP-General Exam

The CELPIP-General is a fully computer-based English proficiency test developed by Paragon Testing Enterprises, a University of British Columbia subsidiary, and approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence and professional designation purposes. It assesses four skills in everyday Canadian English in a single sitting of about three hours: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The Listening and Reading components are selected-response, each with 38 scored four-option multiple-choice questions; Listening has six parts (Problem Solving, Daily Life Conversation, Information, News Item, Discussion, and Viewpoints) and Reading has four parts (Correspondence, Apply a Diagram, Information, and Viewpoints). Questions test three skills: General Meaning, Specific Information, and Inference, with no penalty for wrong answers. Results are reported on the CELPIP Level scale (M, 1-12), which maps directly to the Canadian Language Benchmarks. This practice bank focuses on the multiple-choice Listening and Reading sections.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

About 3 hours for all four skills; Listening runs 47-55 minutes and Reading runs 55-60 minutes for the multiple-choice components.

Passing Score

No pass or fail. Each skill is scored on the CELPIP Level scale (M, 1-12), which maps one-to-one to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB); the level you need depends on your immigration or professional goal.

Exam Fee

Approximately CAD $295 plus applicable taxes for CELPIP-General in Canada (2026); international fees vary by country. (Paragon Testing Enterprises, a subsidiary of the University of British Columbia (UBC).)

CELPIP-General Exam Content Outline

11%

Listening to Problem Solving

Short everyday conversations about a problem; identify the issue, the proposed solution, and key practical details.

Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

Informal conversations about routine plans; track plans, reasons, preferences, and speakers' feelings.

Listening for Information

Informational talks and announcements; find facts, figures, rules, schedules, and the main point.

18%

Listening to a News Item and Discussion

News reports and multi-speaker discussions; identify the main news, specific facts, speakers' positions, and solutions.

Listening to Viewpoints

Opinion-based talks; identify the speaker's stance, concessions, tone, and reasoning.

14%

Reading Correspondence

Emails, letters, and notes; determine purpose, tone, requested actions, and specific details.

11%

Reading to Apply a Diagram

Schedules, maps, charts, and tables; combine visual and written information to answer practical questions.

12%

Reading for Information

Informational passages; identify main ideas, supporting details, causes, contrasts, and implied conclusions.

13%

Reading for Viewpoints

Opinion texts and reader comments; compare perspectives, identify stance and recommendations, and infer attitude.

How to Pass the CELPIP-General Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: No pass or fail. Each skill is scored on the CELPIP Level scale (M, 1-12), which maps one-to-one to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB); the level you need depends on your immigration or professional goal.
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: About 3 hours for all four skills; Listening runs 47-55 minutes and Reading runs 55-60 minutes for the multiple-choice components.
Exam fee: Approximately CAD $295 plus applicable taxes for CELPIP-General in Canada (2026); international fees vary by country.

Keys to Passing

Work through all 160 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
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CELPIP-General Study Tips from Top Performers

1Learn the six Listening parts and four Reading parts so you recognise each task type instantly on test day.

2Practise the three core question types - General Meaning, Specific Information, and Inference - and notice which trips you up most.

3Read every answer choice carefully and eliminate clear distractors, since the wrong options often paraphrase the passage misleadingly.

4Because there is no penalty for wrong answers, always select an answer for every question, even when unsure.

5Train with everyday Canadian English topics - workplaces, services, community events, and city life - rather than academic material.

6Time yourself: Listening plays only once, and within Reading the later parts are harder, so practise pacing across all parts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CELPIP-General test and who administers it?

CELPIP-General is a computer-based English proficiency test of Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. It is developed by Paragon Testing Enterprises, a University of British Columbia subsidiary, and is approved by IRCC for Canadian permanent residence and professional designation.

How many multiple-choice questions are on the Listening and Reading sections?

Listening has 38 scored four-option multiple-choice questions across six parts, and Reading has 38 scored four-option multiple-choice questions across four parts. Each section also has a short unscored practice task and may include unscored development items.

How is CELPIP-General scored?

There is no pass or fail. Each skill is reported on the CELPIP Level scale (M, then 1-12), which maps one-to-one to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). The level you need depends on your specific immigration or professional goal.

How much does the CELPIP-General test cost in 2026?

In Canada the CELPIP-General fee is about CAD $295 plus applicable taxes as of 2026. International pricing varies by country and test centre, and add-ons such as Express Rating or rescheduling carry extra fees.

How long is the CELPIP-General test?

The full test takes about three hours in one sitting. Listening runs 47-55 minutes, Reading 55-60 minutes, Writing 53-60 minutes, and Speaking 15-20 minutes. There is no separate appointment for any skill.

What question types appear in Listening and Reading?

Both sections use four-option multiple-choice questions testing three skills: General Meaning (main ideas), Specific Information (details, facts, figures), and Inference (purpose, tone, and implied meaning). There is no penalty for wrong answers, so you should answer every question.